Hayes in dogfight for Dublin seat, according to poll

A new survey published today forecasts further gains for Sinn Féin in the European elections.

The Millward Brown poll for the Sunday Independent shows SF candidate Lynn Boylan with a projected 20% of the vote in the Dublin constituency.

It follows a survey published yesterday which shows the party set to win a seat in each of the two four-seat constituencies outside of Dublin.

According to the survey of 531 Dublin voters taken on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, Independent Nessa Childers also appears safe, with 19% of first preferences in the capital.

However Fine Gael's Junior Finance Minister Brian Hayes is in a dogfight for the final seat with 15% of first preferences - Mary Fitzgerald of Fianna Fáil is on 13%, Labour's Emer Costello on 12%, and the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan is on 11%.

"Looking at the transfers, Mr Hayes would be at the back of that pack," said Daniel McConnell, Group Political Correspondent with the Sunday Independent.

The Government is facing fresh claims that it is failing to address spiralling health waiting list delays after a patient was told a hospital could not see him for a neurological condition until at least 2024.